U.S. ignores warnings while France and South Korea fights off Fukushima radiation

French research authority, CRIIRAD, stated that "the risks associated with iodine-131 contamination in Europe are no longer negligible." In response to thousands of concerned inquiries, CRIIRAD created an informative document addressing the risks of radioactive iodine-131. "The document advises against consuming rainwater and....... vegetables with large leaves, fresh milk, and creamy cheese." Spinach and cabbage especially are some of the vegetables that are particularly sensitive to iodine-131 contamination if they are cultivated outside and exposed to rainwater. Fresh milk and creamy cheeses are foods that can be indirectly contaminated. Contamination of milk and cheese from goats and sheep may pose a bigger risk than milk and cheese produced from cows.

CIIRAD states that their advisories are not limited to France but also applies to other European countries ("as the level of air contamination is the same in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy").

On the other hand, South Korea closed schools to calm parents worries about their children being exposed to the toxic rain. South Korea's nuclear safety agency reported levels of radioactive iodine and cesium particles in the rain. Many Koreans are wearing face masks to protect themselves from exposure. Koreans are driving more rather than walking because they want to reduce their exposure to the toxic rain and air.
South Korea have expressed great concern about TEPCO's dumping of radioactive waste into the sea. Like Japan, South Korea has a vibrant seafood culture which puts their food safety and quality in question.

Two countries face the same problem taking different approaches but in a much more educated way. And what does America do about this? Nothing. And it appears that it will remain that way. Despite their claims of extremely low levels of radiation, people forget about the multiplication factor of how continued radiation exposure accumulates which can pose a serious threat to our health in the next 5 to 10 years. And this does not include the radiation emitting electronics that we expose ourselves to everyday which have been proven to cause cancer (whether it is cell phones, microwaves, etc).

We can expect to see significant increases in cancer deaths, more cancer cases, and decreased life expectancy.


Sources:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/07/us-japan-fortimeline-aprilseven-idUSTRE7363D620110407?pageNumber=1
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1374369/Japan-nuclear-crisis-South-Korea-schools-closed-Fukushima-radiation-fears.html
http://www.economist.com/node/18530743
http://www.euractiv.com/en/health/radiation-risks-fukushima-longer-negligible-news-503947

Fukushima in America?

We have seen in the last 12 months about the natural disasters in Australia and New Zealand and the recent tsunami that hit Japan. It is sad to see how people are caught by surprise and are not able to address the situation appropriately because of their unpreparedness. Americans became so worried about the radiation exposure reaching the U.S. that potassium iodide became a scarcity. Residents that live within a 50 mile radius to a nuclear power plant are at a significantly higher risk to radiation exposure than others. Listed below is a good guide of largely populated areas that may be in danger.

Significant Risk Areas to Radiation Exposure From Nuclear Plants

Northeastern: Boston, Rochester, New York City, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania State University (Main Campus), Philadelphia, Camden, Atlantic City. Wilmington, DC, Baltimore, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.

Southern: Fort Worth, Baton Rouge, Southern Tennessee River area in Alabama, Raleigh, Charlotte, Spartanburg, Augusta, Alabama / Georgia / Florida metropolitan border, and Miami.

Midwestern: Omaha, Green Bay, Cedar Rapids, Jefferson City, Rock River area in Illinois, Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, and Cleveland.

Western: San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Phoenix

And something else to consider is trapped areas. For example, if Diablo Canyon and San Onofre were to go off in a small time difference, people living in the Los Angeles metropolitan area would be greatly affected because the area lies in the middle of the two plants. Keep in mind about other areas that may be victims to this situation.

Some questions that we should ask ourselves is:

What would I do in such a situation?

What is my level of preparedness now?

What actions am I taking to prepare for these unfortunate events?

Please note that no one is invincible from unforeseen disasters. However, preparedness can dramatically increase your chances of survival. Do you want to risk being one of the fatalities that were caught unprepared?

Stay Tuned for Part 2 ...... ( U.S. Nuclear Plants at risk and "Where the hell should I go then?" )

Is the First Amendment considering retirement?

What is happening to our first amendment? Is it only a matter of time before it is stripped away totally? For those who does not what the first amendment say in full, here is a reminder:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

In the era that we live in today, some people believe that it is necessary to censor free speech because people may be offended by certain language. However, anytime that you allow one thing to be censored; it opens the door for other things to be considered for censorship too.

Let's take a look at some examples:

(1) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, being one of the great bestselling American novels, has been recently censored. This bestselling novel that has had countless reprintings, translations in several languages, and even turned into a movie was re-edited to cope with sensitive audiences. The words, “nigger” and “injun”, found in the book, were removed and replaced with words like “slave”. Places like Concord Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, Taylor Michigan schools, Illinois high schools, Miami Dade Junior College, school libraries in Caddo Paris Louisiana, Terrebone Parish public schools in Louisiana, National Cathedral School in Washington DC, East San Jose high schools in California are just a few places that have banned the original Huckleberry Finn books from their institutions. http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsroom/20110104/en_yblog_newsroom/huck-finn-gets-some-changes

While the original version of the book is still in circulation, I wonder if Mark Twain would have allowed a censored version to be printed.

(2) To Kill A Mockingbird, a Pulitzer Prize novel, still remains a classic in modern American literature. However, it has been challenged many times and eventually removed from Southwood High School, an advanced reading placement list in Lindale Texas, and Oklahoma schools because of profane language and certain prejudice and sexual themes used (two examples are the terms “whore lady” and “nigger”). http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,33108,00.html    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20100924/en_ac/6836558_banned_books_week_to_kill_a_mockingbird 

(3) A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian novel in which the film was initially rated X and nominated for 4 Academy Awards. It was banned for its objectionable language and removed from schools in Westport Massachusetts, Aurora Colorado and Rhode Island. http://www.highlands.edu/academics/library/banned/books.htm   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/american.../banned-books-movies_b_738533.html    http://specials.msn.com/A-List/Lifestyle/Banned-Books.aspx?cp-documentid=27932689&imageindex=17&cp-searchtext=%27A%20Clockwork%20Orange%27&FORM=MSNIIT

Will this measure become the model for all printed media? Eventually, even if the original version is still in circulation, the censored version will become more popular because readers of another race do not want to appear prejudice or black people do not want to be offended by the material. Why can't they use labels like “parental advisory / explicit content” as we find on music CDs? However, I can assume people making an argument as censored books is like the clean version of a music CD. Music is much more popular and influential than print media which explains why there is more censorship. The majority of people are exposed to today's music without opting in to listen to it. You hear it in nightclubs, house parties, schools, and churches. You also hear it from TV commercials and from vehicles with loud stereo systems. No one has ever put a gun to your head and forced you to read a book. Neither has anyone glued a book to your hands. Believe it or not, we are forced to listen to music while books are totally voluntarily (with the exception of students).

We should consider carefully the measures that are being taken to censor the first amendment. Again, once you accept something to be censored, you allow anything else to be considered for censorship. Hate speech is constitutionally protected even if it is false or provocative. Several European countries like England, France, and Germany have laws that bans hate speech (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/us/12hate.html ). While in some cases, certain language may be offensive to some people; our first amendment must remain absolute. Ask yourself, Who will be the judge(s) in deciding what phrases are acceptable? Free speech is the tool that protects us from tyranny which is why the Constitution protects it. Live in freedom or die by tyranny (LIVE FREE OR DIE).